diff --git a/spring-integration-amqp/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/amqp/config/AmqpOutboundChannelAdapterParser.java b/spring-integration-amqp/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/amqp/config/AmqpOutboundChannelAdapterParser.java
index 6f65114b0e..d1899cc825 100644
--- a/spring-integration-amqp/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/amqp/config/AmqpOutboundChannelAdapterParser.java
+++ b/spring-integration-amqp/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/amqp/config/AmqpOutboundChannelAdapterParser.java
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@ public class AmqpOutboundChannelAdapterParser extends AbstractOutboundChannelAda
 		String amqpTemplateRef = element.getAttribute("amqp-template");
 		if (!StringUtils.hasText(amqpTemplateRef)) {
 			amqpTemplateRef = "amqpTemplate";
+			if (StringUtils.hasText(element.getAttribute("return-channel"))
+					|| StringUtils.hasText(element.getAttribute("confirm-correlation-expression"))) {
+				parserContext.getReaderContext().error("A dedicated 'amqp-template' is required when" +
+						" using publisher confirms and returns", element);
+			}
 		}
 		builder.addConstructorArgReference(amqpTemplateRef);
 		IntegrationNamespaceUtils.setValueIfAttributeDefined(builder, element, "exchange-name", true);
diff --git a/spring-integration-amqp/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/amqp/outbound/AmqpOutboundEndpoint.java b/spring-integration-amqp/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/amqp/outbound/AmqpOutboundEndpoint.java
index a8c51da644..31b4b3ea70 100644
--- a/spring-integration-amqp/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/amqp/outbound/AmqpOutboundEndpoint.java
+++ b/spring-integration-amqp/src/main/java/org/springframework/integration/amqp/outbound/AmqpOutboundEndpoint.java
@@ -322,6 +322,12 @@ public class AmqpOutboundEndpoint extends AbstractReplyProducingMessageHandler
 	@Override
 	public void confirm(CorrelationData correlationData, boolean ack, String cause) {
 		Object userCorrelationData = correlationData;
+		if (correlationData == null) {
+			if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
+				logger.debug("No correlation data provided for ack: " + ack + " cause:" + cause);
+			}
+			return;
+		}
 		if (correlationData instanceof CorrelationDataWrapper) {
 			userCorrelationData = ((CorrelationDataWrapper) correlationData).getUserData();
 		}
diff --git a/spring-integration-amqp/src/main/resources/org/springframework/integration/amqp/config/spring-integration-amqp-4.1.xsd b/spring-integration-amqp/src/main/resources/org/springframework/integration/amqp/config/spring-integration-amqp-4.1.xsd
index 788eb556a5..9bff535de7 100644
--- a/spring-integration-amqp/src/main/resources/org/springframework/integration/amqp/config/spring-integration-amqp-4.1.xsd
+++ b/spring-integration-amqp/src/main/resources/org/springframework/integration/amqp/config/spring-integration-amqp-4.1.xsd
@@ -698,7 +698,7 @@ standard headers to also be mapped. To map all non-standard headers the 'NON_STA
 			<xsd:annotation>
 				<xsd:documentation>
 					Flag to indicate that channels created by this component will be transactional.
-					Only applies to outbound messages when 'message-driven' is 'true'.
+					Only applies to messages received from this channel when 'message-driven' is 'true'.
 				</xsd:documentation>
 			</xsd:annotation>
 		</xsd:attribute>
diff --git a/spring-integration-amqp/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/amqp/config/AmqpOutboundChannelAdapterParserTests-context.xml b/spring-integration-amqp/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/amqp/config/AmqpOutboundChannelAdapterParserTests-context.xml
index 2abb6c8574..7652342a50 100644
--- a/spring-integration-amqp/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/amqp/config/AmqpOutboundChannelAdapterParserTests-context.xml
+++ b/spring-integration-amqp/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/amqp/config/AmqpOutboundChannelAdapterParserTests-context.xml
@@ -41,9 +41,12 @@
 		<amqp:outbound-channel-adapter exchange-name="outboundchanneladapter.test.1"/>
 	</int:chain>
 
+	<rabbit:template id="amqpTemplateConfirms" connection-factory="connectionFactory"/>
+
 	<amqp:outbound-channel-adapter id="withPublisherConfirms" channel="pcRequestChannel"
 								   exchange-name="outboundchanneladapter.test.1"
 								   mapped-request-headers="foo*"
+								   amqp-template="amqpTemplateConfirms"
 								   confirm-correlation-expression="headers['amqp_confirmCorrelationData']"
 								   confirm-ack-channel="ackChannel"/>
 
@@ -53,9 +56,12 @@
 		<int:queue/>
 	</int:channel>
 
+	<rabbit:template id="amqpTemplateReturns" connection-factory="connectionFactory" mandatory="true" />
+
 	<amqp:outbound-channel-adapter id="withReturns" channel="returnRequestChannel"
 								   exchange-name="outboundchanneladapter.test.1"
 								   mapped-request-headers="foo*"
+								   amqp-template="amqpTemplateReturns"
 								   return-channel="returnChannel"/>
 
 	<int:channel id="returnRequestChannel"/>
diff --git a/spring-integration-amqp/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/amqp/config/AmqpOutboundChannelAdapterParserTests.java b/spring-integration-amqp/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/amqp/config/AmqpOutboundChannelAdapterParserTests.java
index a192309c6f..33012e93b9 100644
--- a/spring-integration-amqp/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/amqp/config/AmqpOutboundChannelAdapterParserTests.java
+++ b/spring-integration-amqp/src/test/java/org/springframework/integration/amqp/config/AmqpOutboundChannelAdapterParserTests.java
@@ -39,8 +39,6 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean;
 
-import com.rabbitmq.client.AMQP.BasicProperties;
-import com.rabbitmq.client.Channel;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.junit.Test;
 import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
@@ -86,6 +84,9 @@ import org.springframework.test.context.ContextConfiguration;
 import org.springframework.test.context.junit4.SpringJUnit4ClassRunner;
 import org.springframework.util.ReflectionUtils;
 
+import com.rabbitmq.client.AMQP.BasicProperties;
+import com.rabbitmq.client.Channel;
+
 /**
  * @author Mark Fisher
  * @author Oleg Zhurakousky
@@ -256,7 +257,7 @@ public class AmqpOutboundChannelAdapterParserTests {
 		Message<?> message = MessageBuilder.withPayload("hello").build();
 		requestChannel.send(message);
 		PollableChannel returnChannel = context.getBean("returnChannel", PollableChannel.class);
-		RabbitTemplate template = context.getBean("amqpTemplate", RabbitTemplate.class);
+		RabbitTemplate template = context.getBean("amqpTemplateReturns", RabbitTemplate.class);
 		Map<String, Object> headers = new HashMap<String, Object>();
 		headers.put(PublisherCallbackChannel.RETURN_CORRELATION, template.getUUID());
 		BasicProperties properties = mock(BasicProperties.class);
@@ -360,6 +361,7 @@ public class AmqpOutboundChannelAdapterParserTests {
 		AmqpOutboundEndpoint handler = new AmqpOutboundEndpoint(amqpTemplate);
 		Log logger = spy(TestUtils.getPropertyValue(handler, "logger", Log.class));
 		new DirectFieldAccessor(handler).setPropertyValue("logger", logger);
+		doAnswer(new DoesNothing()).when(logger).error("Failed to eagerly establish the connection.", toBeThrown);
 		ApplicationContext context = mock(ApplicationContext.class);
 		handler.setApplicationContext(context);
 		handler.setBeanFactory(context);
diff --git a/src/reference/docbook/amqp.xml b/src/reference/docbook/amqp.xml
index 5ca9da1b29..052219fbc5 100644
--- a/src/reference/docbook/amqp.xml
+++ b/src/reference/docbook/amqp.xml
@@ -481,18 +481,20 @@ public Object handle(@Payload String payload, @Header(AmqpHeaders.CHANNEL) Chann
 			</callout>
             <callout arearefs="amqp-outbound-channel-adapter-xml-8-co" id="amqp-outbound-channel-adapter-xml-8">
                 <para>An expression defining correlation data. When provided, this configures the underlying
-                amqp template to receive publisher confirms. Requires a <classname>RabbitTemplate</classname> and a
+                amqp template to receive publisher confirms. Requires a dedicated
+                <classname>RabbitTemplate</classname> and a
                 <classname>CachingConnectionFactory</classname> with the <code>publisherConfirms</code> property
                 set to <code>true</code>. When a publisher confirm
-                is received, it is written to either the confirm-ack-channel, or the confirm-nack-channel,
+                is received, and correlation data is supplied,
+                it is written to either the confirm-ack-channel, or the confirm-nack-channel,
                 depending on the confirmation type. The payload of the confirm is the correlation data as
                 defined by this expression and the message will have a header 'amqp_publishConfirm' set to
                 true (ack) or false (nack). Examples: "headers['myCorrelationData']", "payload".
                 <emphasis>Optional</emphasis>.</para>
 				<para>
-					Starting with <emphasis>version 4.1</emphasis> the new <code>amqp_publishConfirmNackCause</code>
-					message header has been added. It contains a <code>cause</code> message of 'nack' for publisher
-					confirm.
+					Starting with <emphasis>version 4.1</emphasis> the <code>amqp_publishConfirmNackCause</code>
+					message header has been added. It contains the <code>cause</code> of a 'nack' for publisher
+					confirms.
 				</para>
             </callout>
             <callout arearefs="amqp-outbound-channel-adapter-xml-9-co" id="amqp-outbound-channel-adapter-xml-9">
@@ -512,8 +514,8 @@ public Object handle(@Payload String payload, @Header(AmqpHeaders.CHANNEL) Chann
                 amqp_returnReplyText, amqp_returnExchange, amqp_returnRoutingKey</emphasis>.
                 <emphasis>Optional</emphasis>.</para>
                 <important>
-                  Using a <code>return-channel</code> requires a <classname>RabbitTemplate</classname> with either
-                  the <code>mandatory</code> or <code>immediate</code> properties set to <code>true</code>,
+                  Using a <code>return-channel</code> requires a <classname>RabbitTemplate</classname> with
+                  the <code>mandatory</code> property set to <code>true</code>,
                   and a <classname>CachingConnectionFactory</classname>
                   with the <code>publisherReturns</code> property set to <code>true</code>. When using multiple
                   outbound endpoints with returns, a separate <classname>RabbitTemplate</classname> is needed
@@ -643,8 +645,8 @@ public Object handle(@Payload String payload, @Header(AmqpHeaders.CHANNEL) Chann
                 amqp_returnReplyText, amqp_returnExchange, amqp_returnRoutingKey</emphasis>.
                 <emphasis>Optional</emphasis>.</para>
                 <important>
-                  Using a <code>return-channel</code> requires a <classname>RabbitTemplate</classname> with either
-                  the <code>mandatory</code> or <code>immediate</code> properties set to <code>true</code>,
+                  Using a <code>return-channel</code> requires a <classname>RabbitTemplate</classname> with
+                  the <code>mandatory</code> property set to <code>true</code>,
                   and a <classname>CachingConnectionFactory</classname>
                   with the <code>publisherReturns</code> property set to <code>true</code>. When using multiple
                   outbound endpoints with returns, a separate <classname>RabbitTemplate</classname> is needed